finding her way home
by Bluedog270
Summary: You never forget your first love, even if she disappears and is said to be dead. / kick, high teen for dark topics. one-shot. [re-edited as of 2-8-16]


~Author's Note~

**Rated Teen** for minor language, dark matters and scary themes.

**Notes:** Inspired by the episode Seaford Hustle, newly **re-written**.

* * *

_finding her way home_

* * *

He looked down at the cherry blossom petal clutched in his hand and moved it between each of his fingers, his face staying emotionless.

_Jack, it's too late. _

No it wasn't.

_You can't save me. _

Yes he could.

Jack continued to play with the petal while he reached for his phone with his other hand, bringing up Kim's number. He put the cell to his ear and listened to the blank dial tone that mocked him for a few moments.

_I don't know where I am or who took me. _

He had shouted into the phone when she had said that in a frail voice, he could hear a man's voice behind her and she had let out a sob when he had spoken. His anger had taken a hold of him and he had yelled at her, frantic to find the location she was hidden in.

_J-Jack, I-I'm sorry. _

He was breathing heavily and pacing around his living room by then.

The twenty year old suddenly threw the phone across the room, the sliver cell hitting the wall with a loud bang. He accidently dropped the pink petal as the rage came back, followed by a heavy pain where his heart was.

He couldn't even pull it together to say _sorry_ to her, to say sorry for any wrongs he had done. To say sorry for yelling at her when she was kidnapped by some crazy maniac, and he didn't have the slightest idea where she was.

He stood up and roared out in ire, at the man who took her and at himself for not being able to find her.

When they had first started dating at sixteen, he had brought her into a hug one day and told her he would never let anyone hurt her. He remembered that moment so clearly, he had whispered it into her ear and he had felt her shiver from his warmth breath.

He had added an always in there too, the entire sentence only added to the dull numbness he felt all over.

He had told her that, without knowing that he wouldn't be able to upkeep that promise in a year's time.

It was June second that he woke up to his phone ringing and when he drowsily answered it; he was met by a distraught and weeping Missus Crawford on the other end of the line. Jack had calmed her down enough to get her to speak without hiccupping, and then that's when his whole life changed.

Kim was missing.

Those three words didn't seem real to Jack at the time, he thought it was a big joke and it wasn't until the day after that he realized his beloved was missing.

_I think this is the last time he is going to let me call Jack. _

The teen had only stayed silent at the time, his left hand clenched in a fist while his right held tightly onto the phone. He heard the man behind Kim mumble something to her and then her whimper afterwards. Jack didn't say one word.

_I will never forget you Jack. I love you. _

They say you never forget your first love.

Jack was stubborn and pissed that final phone call, beyond furious that after three years; Kim still wasn't in his arms. But when he heard her abrupt scream and cry for him, then the click of the phone—he went beyond livid.

Jack had screamed into the phone for minutes, keeping at it and shouting her name until his voice went hoarse.

Until he comprehended he wouldn't ever get an answer from the other side.

Now here he was, all alone praying to someone to bring his girl back.

To bring Kim Crawford back alive.

The police said it was most likely she had died a year ago, with no sightings of her and a manhunt all over the country.

The Crawfords' held a funeral for her on December tenth, when Jack was eighteen, but he didn't go. He didn't want to believe that she was dead, his gut told him that she was beaten but breathing somewhere and that if he gave up hope; she was sure to be dead. He listened to his gut and hunted for her day and night for the full three years she had been missing.

Tomorrow would be the day she got kidnapped three years ago. It would make a total of four years the next day and Jack didn't want that to happen.

The man who took the blonde beauty would allow her to call Jack once every year.

The cops could never track the call.

The last one he got was four months ago.

Jack reached down and picked up the petal, tucking it in between his finger and sliver ring. He got the ring a few days after she went missing and on the inside were the words 'never lose hope' in Kim's favorite color. A small heart with a tiny stitched on patch in the middle were engraved next to the bold words.

Jack sighed and looked around his tidy apartment bedroom. A picture of the two smiling happily in a hug was on the nightstand next to his bed and his 'J and K' bracelet she gave him was resting in front. His orbs moved over to the weathered black wallet and keys next to it.

He smiled softly and reached for his wallet and opened it, his driver's license and five green bills in pockets. Then he looked down at the faded picture of Kim hitching a piggyback ride on him, her million watt smile present on her face. Jack looked closer and just as he was about to put it away, his eyes locked on a tiny black shadow in the background.

The man stared at it for a few moments and then his eyes grew wide when it all clicked. He jumped up, grabbing his keys and leaving to his car.

After all this time, he finally knew where Kim was and the answer was right in front of him the entire time.

He drove all night, out to an abandoned factory a few miles from Seaford. The police had already searched there, but they didn't think to check the most obvious place. The old office that was open with shattered glass and windows on the top floor.

He recollected hearing that they only checked the darkest places like the cellar.

Not the office.

Sweat fell from his forehead as the ninety degree heat from the early morning sun already kicked in. But his heart was hammering with apprehensive nerves. This was it.

If she wasn't here than she really was . . . dead.

Jack parked his old blue corvette a few paces down from the entrance and got out, jogging towards the looming building in front of him. "Come on Kim, please be here. Please."

In the picture, an older man with green eyes was half-glancing out the window of Phil's with a malicious smirk on his face. The worn out logo on his shirt was the one from this abandoned factory. Jack made it to the front door and stepped over some broken glass, heading right towards the stairs.

His dad used to own this factory when he was little and he would always let Jack run ramped through the place. Of course the man would choose a place so valiant, a place no one would think of.

Jack knew where he was going, up two flights of steps and to the left.

He tried to make his footsteps as quiet as possible but the rush of getting there as fast as he could was greater. He made it to the door with red graffiti over the word 'OFFICE' and heard talking. He put his ear to the door and carefully opened it the tiniest bit so he could look in at the same time.

"Please, please just let me go. I've been here so long I've lost count. _Please_."

The voice was weak and pleading but Jack was overjoyed when it was _Kim's _voice that flooded his ears. She was alive. He had found her.

"Stop trying Kimmy. I own you now. Everyone thinks you're dead so we can be together forever and—"

Jack couldn't take it anymore, he threw the door open and was meant by Kim chained to the wall in the corner and an older man with a blonde beard to the left. His green eyes were the same in the picture, maybe even a little bit brighter. Jack looked directly at the man.

"Get _the hell_ away from my girlfriend you son of a bitch."

The man started to laugh but Jack didn't let him finish, instead using one spinning dragon kick and knocking the man out. He looked over to Kim who had her eyes closed and her arms, which were chained above her head, covering her face.

Jack wanted to run up and kiss her and hug her like there was no tomorrow.

But instead he slowly approached her, being sure to make sure his footsteps were light. "Kim?" His voice came out quiet and raspy, but Jack was surprised a sound even made it out of him.

His throat felt like it was on fire and his tongue felt like it was barricaded by grains of sand.

He crouched down in front of her and touched her shoulder, the girl before him flinching backwards into the cement wall. Jack felt tears prick at his eyes but he held them in, "Kimmy, its m-me Jack." His voice cracked on his name, it felt weird to be talking to someone who was supposed to be long gone.

Kim didn't answer, she didn't move.

Jack moved closer to her, undoing the chains that bounded her hands and sitting in front of her as her hands fell to her sides. Her hair was everywhere and frizzled, and she had on a ripped black men's t-shirt and some grey shorts. Just from the slight movement of her arms he could see the scarred cuts and yellow bruises that coated them.

"He's not going to ever come near you again Kim, I-I promise. I took care of it. Please." She moved slightly and Jack saw a strain of red on the top of her head. Did he hit her head into the wa—

Before Jack's mind could go any further, Kim spoke.

"Am I d-dead?" Her voice was lower than needed and Jack placed his hand on her shoulder, surprised when she didn't flinch away.

"No baby, I'm right here. You're saved." Jack lifted up his hand and moved the hair out of her eyes, showing of her stunning doe brown eyes. Her orbs were tired, but Jack still got lost in their beauty.

That's when he saw the tears fall, leaving trails behind as they fell off her cheeks one by one. He turned towards her fully and wiped the tears away, using his thumbs. That's when she fell into his arms and sobbed like there was no tomorrow.

He held her as tight as he could without hurting her and shushed her, whispering the things she had longed to hear for years in her ear. Her hands gripped the back of his shirt tightly and his rubbed up and down her back.

Jack couldn't hold back the tears that leaked out of his eyes at the same moment as he pressed his face into her neck, still shocked that the love of his life was back in his arms once again.

Four years they were apart.

They both cried and neither cared that their shirts were both soaked with tears within moments. "Kim, I love you so much. So much, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I couldn't find you sooner." He muttered to her ear, hoping she heard him over the wails that had now overtaken her body.

"I love you too Jack, j-just promise me I'll never be left by myself again." Jack shook his head as he gently took her left ring finger and out his ring on it, the petal falling in his lap.

"I'll be with you forever. No one will ever come near you again." He picked up the petal and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, as he fumbled to put the petal out of the way. Kim put her hand over his to stop him, the two holding the petal between them.

They say you _never_ forget your first love.


End file.
